The development of effective pharmacological treatment strategies for cocaine abuse will depend on a better understanding of the effects of cocaine on brain neurochemistry and central nervous system function. The current project utilized positron emission tomography (PET) imaging techniques in nonhuman primates as an innovative, non-invasive approach to investigate cocaine-induced functional changes in central nervous system activity. The results obtained during the second year of the project have characterized regional cerebral blood flow following intravenous self-administration of cocaine during behavioral sessions. Cocaine caused pronounced, dose-related increases in blood flow in regions of interest that included striatum, ventral striatum and frontal cortex. Compared to response-independent cocaine administration, self-administered cocaine had more pronounced and longer-lasting effects. This work documents the successful development of PET imaging protocol s in beha ving monkeys and the importance of response-contingent drug administration paradigms. FUNDING NIH / DA10344-02 $177,242 8/15/97 - 5/31/01 DA10344-01 (Supplement) $ 41,570 6/01/98 - 5/31/00 PUBLICATIONS None P51RR0165-38 1/1/98 -12/31/98 Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center